Nintendo's Scott Moffitt: 3DS and Vita Have Very Different Strategies For Portable Play

When it comes to the handheld market, Nintendo marketing executive Scott Moffitt says the 3DS and Vita are on determinedly different paths in approaching their consumers.

In an interview with GameSpot, Moffitt said he considers Sony’s strategy in terms of handheld gaming to be one that serves as an extension to home console play, essentially providing a portable PlayStation 3:

I believe their view on the market is that the handheld gaming occasion and the home gaming occasion are one in the same, that people just have the desire to keep continue playing their home console game when they leave the house.

The parallelism between many PlayStation 3 and Vita games appears to help prove Moffitt’s belief, but he says Nintendo’s view is to forge separate experiences based around the typical circumstances and needs of a portable player:

Our philosophy, our belief, our strategy, is that we believe it's kind of a different occasion. The moment of time you're willing to play, the amount of time you have able to play when you're away from home is different and your gaming behavior is different.

This may be true for many, but there are gamers out there who seem perfectly comfortable plugging their 3DS into the wall and having a marathon session in bed. Moffitt’s words also raise the question of how evident this philosophy will be when comparing the Wii U and 3DS versions of the upcoming Super Smash Bros. title.

How does your portable play behavior tend to shape up? Are you more of a pick-up-and-put-down gamer as the situation calls or do you engage for hours at a time? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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As a child, Tim once spent an entire month staring longingly at a copy of Kirby's Dream Land his parents had kept atop the refrigerator until he could play it on an upcoming road trip. That month would change his life forever.

User Comments (98)

The fact of the matter is...the 3DS is just a more fun handheld. Power really has nothing to do with it. It's the games that make the system. The Vita has no games. 3DS keeps climbing to unheard handheld heights. This is certainly a win for Nintendo!

I think that is what handhelds are designed for, short, fun bursts of playing. The 3DS is just more fun because of the games on it, it is also cheaper than the vita so that makes it a much better deal.
Love the annotation on the picture by the way.

Well, the thing is the Vita doesn't have any exclusive games since their also available for the PS3, and 360. And when it does have some exclusive's, people whine that is not available for the PS3, and 360.

Sony's handhelds have essentially been portable home consoles. Nintendo's offer a completely different experience to what you would get on a home console. Both have advantages, both have disadvantages. And both have different target audiences.

@WiiUExposed Meaning there isn't a whole lot of games for it. I have both a Vita and 3DS and I'm telling you the Vita really has no games for it. That's why it's not selling. Persona 4, Muramasa, Gravity Rush, Soul Sacrifice are really the only ones worth mentioning. Everything else is pretty much cross buy games from the PS3. The Vita needs more exclusive games like the 3DS to be of better competition. The Vita is a wonderful piece of hardware, but what good is it if it doesn't have the software?! Same thing the Wii U is going through right now.

I play for LOOOONG amounts of time with some games, not as much with other games. If regular DS games count, when I recently got Chrono Trigger DS I played for hours and hours at a time. On the other hand, a game like Metal Torrent I may only play for a few minutes at a time though I really do like that game.

I don't think the distinction is as marked, both consoles have games that are good for short play sessions and others than require marathon play, the vita has less game overall but the proportion for each type of game is about the same for each console

I like doing both: sometimes I play it for a long time, but it's also great for playing in short amounts, especially now that I have Animal Crossing: it's perfect for starting up and messing around in for a bit while I'm waiting for something. But I've also spent very long sessions playing MK7 online or painting on Colors! 3D. So it takes care of both sides perfectly!

There's a lot more on Vita than what you just mentioned. How about Uncharted, Dragons Crown, Killzone, Tearaway, LittleBigPlanet, Disgaea and Metal Gear to name a few.

Then there's at least as many good indie games on Vita as there are on 3DS not to mention tons PSP and PSOne games also. How people can say there are no games for it I can't understand.

I love my 3DS XL and my VIta equally but they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

As far as Moffitt is concerned he only said what he did because his console is not as capable of playing PS3 games like Vita is. Personally I like being able to play full console games on a handheld and this in fact is one of the very features Nintendo advertise for the Wii U! Hypocritical much?

I think this makes perfect sense. Mostly I play my 3DS on my subway commute each morning for about half an hour each way. If I haven't finished a level, I'll maybe play more at home at some point, but I like that most games are tailored for easy pick up and put down for play sessions as long as you feel like. Nothing worse than pulling into your station and you're at a place where you can't save easily. Luckily pressing HOME and closing the 3DS puts it into a deep-enough-sleep that it's ready when I'm heading home

While I agree with the sentiment of keeping the 3DS and Wii U experiences separate, as well as handhelds and home consoles in general; I can't say I don't sit around my house playing my 3DS for a good amount of time- Probably even longer than my other home systems to be completely honest.

When I purchased a 3DS (or a DS before it), it wasn't due to their portability. It's all about the gaming experience. The best original 3DS titles of the year (like Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon or Fire Emblem: Awakening) are absolutely on par, quality-wise, with home console experiences.

My 3DS has been on a hiatus since I finished DKCR3D, but that's mainly due to devoting my play time to Lego City Undercover and Pikmin 3 on the Wii U. When Pokemon X & Y are released, I think I'll play both platforms equally - and both at the comfort of my home, at least the vast majority of the time.

@datamonkey Most of which are available on the PS3 as cross buy titles, or just available on other platforms. You're missing my point about the games. The Vita needs GAMES! That's why it's lagging behind the 3DS. There's no arguing that. My Vita library is pretty big, but it's filled with indie games that's available elsewhere. Not saying that's a good thing, but the Vita needs exclusive titles like the 3DS has. Not ports and cross buy saves all the time.

@WiiUExposed You should see the arguments and debates I've had on this site. People will tell you that I will speak up in a heartbeat if I believe what they are saying is either crazy, misinformed, or just plain wrong. I argue all platforms, not just one. One thing to remember though, you're on a Nintendo dedicated site. Of course there are going to be more fans for Nintendo than the others. You have some sound people here, and in the same breath, you have fanboys as well. It goes for every single site dedicated to their platform. It's all the same. LOL

@Koto Bingo! I hate the fact that it's 100 bones to pick up a 32gig. I refuse to pay that much for it. Glad Sony finally announced a price slash on the memory cards. Don't know why it took them this long to announce it.

@rafie unfortunately they are still too expensive... if Sony eliminated all other memory card sizes and offered a single memory card option of 32 GB under US$50.00 I think the Vita would really take off, there are lot of people out there who refuse to pay $80.00 for a memory card on principle, specially considering even a 32 GB is not big enough for the Vita

@RafieProblem is, even with the price slash, they're still EXTREMELY overpriced. Sony claims that they're doing a substantial price cut, but it's really just a slight cut. I REALLY want a Vita, especially since I have Soul Sacrifice ready for it (preorder DLC pack ), but I can't justify buying one right now even at $200 since the required memory cards are unfortunately still too expensive.

My handheld gaming habits have changed a lot in the last five years. Any shot-burst gaming I tend to do on an iphone now. Puzzle games, mini games, that stuff feels better suited to a device I'm guaranteed to have on me when I want to kill 5 minutes.

The stuff I go for on handhelds is now just as deep as my console games, and my play sessions will last just as long. I don't think they really have different strategies at all. Just look at how in the last few months they ported a Wii game to 3DS, and now they've taken a 3DS series in Mario 3D Land, and put it on Wii U. Nintendo are blurring the lines just as much as Sony, and I don't think that's a bad thing at all. Phones do the 5 minute burst games better, so handhelds should focus on the real games more, the Fire Emblems, Luigi's Mansions and Pokemons.

I don't have a Vita yet, but I'm really tempted, especially with the recent price drop on the console and those memory cards. There's not actually that many Vita games I'd want beside Persona 4 Golden, Gravity Rush and Wipeout 2048, but being able to play all those downloaded PSOne Classics I have on my PS3, all the crossplay indie games, plus all the great PSP games you can also download through PSN such as Persona, Persona 2, Persona 3, Disgaea and Disgaea 2, Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre: Let's Cling Together... that's a lot of games to play on there. I really wish Nintendo would do the same with letting you play your downloaded games on any device, rather than making us buy these VC games on Wii, 3DS and again on Wii U.

@Koto@ferthepoet This is what I'm talking about! Those darn prices has kept me from downloading games from the PS Plus on a memory card. I just keep it on my download list to download at a later time when the memory card prices isn't raping my wallet. I play my 3DS and Vita almost every day. I love both, but I just have to admit where one is lacking. I can argue the 3DS too, but it's hard to do that where the games on it are great.

I won't lie to you all though. Persona 4 Golden is my favorite game on the Vita. It is just all types of awesome. I also have a lot of indie's on it. Zen Pinball 2, Pinball Arcade, Limbo, Guacamelee just to name a few. There's just too many games to name on my 3DS. I really want Sony to pay some attention to the Vita. They have claimed that the Vita is getting some love right around and after the launch of the PS4. We'll see. Oh and Ferthe...you're right. 32gigs is no where near enough for the Vita at all.

@Blaze Thanks for the kind words, Blaze. I think sometimes I come off as a villain where I'm just really stating my love for ALL platforms. Not just one. I do this on every site because I come from an era of gamers where we all come together and embrace some competition, not go on a bash fest and wish downfall on the competition. Oh and that Persona 4 is ridiculous! LOL I LOVE IT!! I'm not even an RPG guy, but that game pulled me in. Then I was able to appreciate Fire Emblem, Shin, etc.

I recently picked up a vita and I have to say I strongly believe the 3DS offers better experiences, but I am also glad I picked up the vita because I understand there'll be games that come to the vita that the 3ds won't get and vice versa. The main drawback to the Vita though is the ridiculously priced memory cards.

@Koto It's true man. When you see all of the games that's offered from the Plus program and the many cross buy games. Not to mention all of the PSP/PS1 games that you can play on it. It will definitely exceed 32 gigs.

I don't want a Vita because I don't really game outside the house and I have a PS3 right here. Most of the games on PSN I can download for my PS3 at home. Little Big Planet on the Vita has different levels but I can play that on the PS3. Same with Dragon's Crown. To download from the PSN you need a HUGE Sony card (since they no longer allow SD cards) and it costs 80 bucks for a 32gb.

Maybe I would buy a vita if I didn't have a PS3, but to me $200+ isn't enough to play games that I can play on a system I already have at home. Plus, I just like having two different systems from two different companies. 3DS has Pokemon, Zelda, Scribblenauts and my PS3 has LBP, Tales of Xilla and Uncharted. I'm not missing out on anything. Unless I'm going on a trip, my 3DS really doesn't leave the house daily. I compared both systems and there were more 3ds exclusive games I couldn't get on my PS3.

What I would like is a Wii U with the whole console built into the gamepad.

(If Nintendo did that they would have the most powerful portable for very little R&D costs and the exact same games could run on both).

Best portables so far have played exactly the same games as the home versions. (Emulated is not the same. The Neo Geo X should have had real neo geo hardware and a 4:3 screen with a suitable resolution)

(Turbo Express / Sega Nomad).

I might pick up a Vita at a later date if the region lock with the 3DS becomes stupid.

(Want to play Star Soldier (PSP) and Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins (PSP) not in a great rush though or particularly bothered whether it is on a PSP or Vita. I suppose the UMD's will likely be dirt cheap like DS and WIi games are).

(Maybe I won't though as Sony totally scammed me with the Xperia Play in so many ways. (Promised firmware updates that never came / games that never arrived / manufacturing defect they wouldn't fix / horrible to deal with customer services)). I got it before the big price drop which made it worse.

I really wouldn't be able to compare the two, as I have no interest in a system that requires $100 proprietary memory cards and whose backwards compatibility relies on the PSN having an adequate back catalog.

@ShadowFox254 The Vita does have several exclusive games that are not on the PS3 such as Gravity Rush, Uncharted: Golden Abyss and several others.

The major issue with the Vita beyond the memory cards is the fact that there are way too many PS3 ports and way too much emphasis on making the Vita the PS4's answer to the Wii U Gamepad.

Even with all the memory card issues, the Vita would do a lot better if it could develop into a handheld that has games that show off its potential. Both the 3DS and Vita are powerful handheld with vast potential. Nintendo has always been able to do that with their handhelds. Sony on the other hand, still struggles.

Perhaps if the common 3rd parties released more games for the platform, 3DS would be more than just "short bursts". The games have gotten alot more advanced since the GameBoy, yet there's hardly anything to show beyond a few titles that make it apparent(at least when it comes to 3DS).

Activision needs to get a COD or game Tony Hawk game on there.

EA needs to get Sims, Spore, or maybe even Dead Space on there.

If you look at the type of games Xbox 360 or PS3 has had, those types of games could show up on 3DS, but they have yet to do so.

As for Vita, most of the games are pretty equal from my perspective, there's just not near as many. The eShop looks packed, there's alot at the store, and DS games are still playable outside of digital only.

Back in the day our favorite console games to go was exactly what people wanted out of handhelds, but today's technology is so much more advance than that and handhelds are capable of so much more.

People just want great games to play when ever and where ever they please, both new experiences and a taste of their favorite games. Its not short-bursts vs hours on end play sessions, its about portability and not being locked in. I can't fit a PS3 or Wii U in my pocket but a 3DS or Vita sure does, and theres no worry about having your game session interrupted or being unable to find time to play.

I play in short bursts at home, I take them on the go in case I'm left with nothing to do, and I play for hours on the couch. No need to hog or fight over the TV, no getting in peoples' way, just relaxing in a comfy chair with a good game and a pair of headphones. Thats why I love my handhelds.

The Vita is like the Wii U. I really want to get it, but nothing yet justifies the purchase. Except for Persona 4, but I need more than that!
3DS all day, baby! Can't wait to import my Mienfoo to Pokemon X.

Edit: Oh duh. I just remembered Vita's getting Borderlands 2 and Y's: Memories of Celceta. I think I might get the Vita this Holiday season after all.

Both philosophies are what we see among gamers of all kinds. I play my 3DS in short bursts before I sleep, or when I want to play MK 7 with my friends. But the majority of us who play games play games when we have a lot of spare time, because they know going into it, that it is a time consuming activity. With video games, either you are playing long-term, or you aren't playing, unless you are bad at managing time, lol.With all that said, I like both consoles, but I have yet to get a Vita. Just played games. With the games coming out, and the remote play functionality with the PS4, the Vita will definitely take a lot of my time in the future, that I know. Also, by extension, there will be a lot more variety in games you can play on the Vita since you can play PS4 games. But still, Pokemon X. My Mienfoo will dominate.

It is nice having the 3DS short bursts of gaming whether at the doctor's office, on the bus, or when I just have idle time. But, the 3DS takes precedent when it comes to gaming time due to the quality of the software and the titles that appeal to me lately. It is a good all around system.

I can't knock the Vita for the software, since I'm a big JRPG fan and JRPGs it does have. I do knock the Vita for using ridiculously priced memory cards instead of SDMicroSD, not having enough first party titles (Gran Turismo, anyone?), and lately just seeming like a place for indie titles to thrive and not much else.

Pretty much what datamonkey said - the ps vita may not have a particularly large gaming library compared to the 3ds, but there are games there for sure & whats there is certainly good enough - LittleBigPlanet, Persona 4 Golden, Uncharted & Gravity Rush, not to mention the upcoming titles like TearAway, Freedom Wars & more.

I love them both - my 3ds (especially for Rhythm Thief) & some Nintendo goodness & my vita for the games above & its great indie library.

Once X & Y are released though, i'm gonna be all over my 3ds. Do love my Pokemon games ^-^

I would have to also point out the Virtual Console titles on the 3DS the GB , NES , and GBC titles are like the wonder years of gaming for me I would love it if they would add the Virtual Boy games as well . The 3DS has alot going for it - it's an AWESOME system .

It's NEVER been a better time to be a hand held gamer, both the 3ds and the vita are fantastic. Both have equal amounts of great games. The nintendo fan boys on here who write off the vita with out even playing it are missing out....... as are the sony fans who say the 3ds is a kids toy.

@Rafie gasp! Upon reading your comment; I came to a realization! The vita and wii U are in a similar situation! What Sells systems is not ports and third party! It is the exclusive only found there experience. The 3DS success story wasn't all about third party support! It was that unique gameplay experiences that could only be found on the Nintendo system. We don't need ports on the Wii U and it saying "we have that game too". No. Nintendo has it right. Exclusive games, exclusive Nintendo franchises and that always fun innovative Nintendo style.

I actually feel 3DS doesn't have enough simple and fun titles. Ones that can be played in shortburst. eShop is continually getting shovelware and generic games and the best ones are for marathon players. Mobile and DSiWare have those fun quick burst games.

Not trying to start anything with my eshop comment, but the quality is all over the place.

But, I got my 3DS around launch and upgraded to the XL last year, I love it! Ninty have a nack to put out games perfect for their handheld system, 3D Land is still my fav and next Zelda will add to that. Now I must say I dont play my 3DS all too often, DK was the last games, played it, loved it, traded it in. So it will sit there ontop of my WiiU until Zelda comes.

I Also have a Vita since last week. Now, I have a PS3 since June and with PS+, the Vita REALLY DOES have games for the system, Uncharted is amazing! And the sweetest thing about PS+, I have like 20 free Vita games to get through and also got the 8GB memory card with 10 free games(granted half of these games will be rubbish).

My Point? the Vita is a different system, but you can sit with it for hours or 10 mins, same as the 3DS, but the way people go on saying there is no games for the Vita is just rubbish, I guess these are people who just see the AAA games, not the millions of Indie games and FREE PS+ games.

Vita is totes worth the cash if you have it. Phew, sorry for the rant

PS: I never play my handheld systems outside my house. More for playing in bed just like the article says.

@goldenlander Compared to the 3DS, the Vita has no games. This is coming from a 1st day buyer and STILL plays his Vita. Now I will admit that Sony has the JRPG's on lock, but what about other genres?! The Vita needs more games that's exclusive to that console, not watered down ports that doesn't showcase it's abilities.

@readyletsgo I see a lot of people that are confused by what I mean by "no games". So let me explain this in short without writing a long novel.

When I stated the Vita has no games, I meant that it really doesn't have any games that's exclusive to that system outside of those I mentioned in #13. I don't know how I missed Uncharted: Golden Abyss, but that was a mistake on my part. Outside of those games, all of the others can be found on the PS3 and/or other platforms.

So if you really count the games on the Vita that the system has on it's own, it's not a lot at all. There are plenty of games that can be played, but very little that's exclusive to the console itself. In NO way did I say in any of my post that the Vita is a poor system. I love my Vita and it's a beautiful console that has yet to tap into it's true capabilities. It just needs more games exclusive to that console and lower the price of those gosh darn memory cards. It's too expensive. That's what I mean when I say the Vita really has no games. Indie titles aren't enough to push the handheld. Strong 1st and 3rd party games does that. I have both handhelds and they are great. There's a reason though why the 3DS is killing the Vita in sales. We can't say the hardware because the Vita is more powerful minus the 3D. It's the games! Point, blank, period.

It's not the Vita has "no" games it's just that it has "too" many hardcore games(what the vita fanboys tell me) and the 3DS is just more fun. You don't have to pay to go online while for Sony systems, you need PlayStation Plus. Wtf is up with that? >.>

@Rafie Sorry dude, I wasnt directing my post at you, I was speaking in general and my experience with both Vita and 3DS. I see the Vita as 'if you dont have a PS3 then you can still play these indie games, and (albeit) few AAA games.

I can see the system picking up speed in sales next year with the PS4, but yeah, lack of AAA games will always kill a system, as we have seen so far with the WiiU, but thats all changing now thanks god!

Again, I was just talking to the internet in general, not attacking your posts

It's simple as this: the PSVita is the Wii U of the handheld market with a major difference, Sony doesn't develop anymore games for their consoles.

So that's why, even one year ago, the 3DS had at least some games, while the PSVita can remain there because Sony wants to appeal the market just by showing the hardware and saying: it's there, do games for it.

I doesn't work like that, you have to show that you believe in your console to convince other to put their bets on it.

It's like the first year of the Wii U, Nintendo delayed so much the games that anybody had nothing to use as a marker to develop. You kinda lose will, if you have to start from zero.

Even the launch line-ups of the PS4 and Xbox One are like the Wii U, 2 or 3 interesting titles and then multiplatforms of genres of games already done to death and sequels galore because they're powerful.

Doing a console and delaying development or release of a bunch of games it's gonna hurt everybody in, at least, 2 ways: it's gonna hurt creativity because see the line-ups for PS4 and Xbox One and it's gonna hurt the eventual success of the console because, as of today's market, people get tired of waiting real fast.

That's why Gothic 3 was anticipaed, resulting in a bug fest, that why they didn't dare to delay Skyrim, that's why we get D1 Patches and all the crappy stuff because this generations of gamers wants everything fast.

If even one manufacturer, of consoles, keeps adapting on bowing themselfs to the changing market it's gonna get only harder and harder to appease to market doing creative gaming, like Reggie wants to do.

@unrandomsam
It is crazy to think both those systems you mentioned (Sega Nomad/turbo express) were beaten by the monochrome gameboy pocket and color. Better systems beaten by honestly an inferior system.

That's weird because Nintendo has said the exact opposite when asked about 3DS vs smartphones. ie. that the smartphones are for gaming in short bursts whereas the 3DS is for longer, deeper, more advanced, more hardcore experiences, etc. I guess these people will just say anything really...

@Rafie Of course it is. I know that Vita games are not interesting for many people. I just half-seriously said that Vita has JRPGs and I like it as JRPG is the main thing while the others are just supplementary for me.

@ferthepoet The Vita has been out a lot longer and already had their biggest games released for it. Its a dead console.... The big Wii U games have yet to be released. If the Wii U is still selling like poo in another year then we can throw it on the trash heap of dead consoles where the vita, neo geo, jaguar and virtual boy sit, but until then, Nintendo has the opportunity to repair its sales.

Look at how Nintendo treated the struggling 3DS when it launched to how Sony treats the Vita.... Nintendo pulled out all of the stop to push all they had to get some really innovative and fun titles out on it. Sony is just letting the vita anguish in the wind. The company seems none to concerned about its disasterous sales.... Now if I'm in the market for a new handheld, which am I going to choose? The one that has a fantastic library with a very big company behind it willing to do whatever it takes to support the system or the other handheld that this really big company behind it doesn't seem too concerned with pushing out any first party games.

I'm sorry, but between the Vita and the Wii U the biggest difference is Nintendo is going to do a massive push and spend hundreds of millions of dollars getting incredlble first party games out for it to save the system, Sony on the other hand doesn't feel it needs to spend a dime to help its dying system.

@Dambuster I would hope that it works better since it is a more sophisticated piece of hardware. But @Coldfirex44 said it right. You don't need a powerful system for fun, you just need the right games. The games on the 3DS are, at the moment, more appealing to me in the fun factor. I'm sure that the Vita has great games and will have more down the pipeline but it just doesn't have the games that appeal to me.

And I also do not like that you have to buy memory sticks that are more expensive than the SD cards (purchased a 32GB SD card for $20).

I'll say, the VITA had the best launch of any handheld I ever saw. Literally 10+ Grade A titles when it came out. The games weren't of my taste, neither was the price, but I still can't entirely fathom why its performing so badly.

The article is bull. The Vita just has many short-burst games as the 3DS. Vita has the better pinball games for one, and there's a slew of other games on the PSN that are perfect for on-the-go gaming. Splunkey just came out on the Vita on Tuesday and it's a perfect example of a pick-up-and-play short-burst game.

Right now the Vita gets way more playtime than my 3DS, and I also play it at night in bed.

@readyletsgo My apologies if my post seemed as if I was irritated. I wasn't at all. I just think some folks here have my post mixed up. Perhaps it was my own fault for not conveying a more clear message. It's all good my friend!

i bought 3ds because RE: revelations and since then,there is nothing else to play..ok,maybe new castlevania but that's it. i don't care about animal crossing or mario games,since i'm 32y old..3ds is for kids and 2ds is here to prove it.

Since I have just recently been able to get my hands on a 3DS and will most likely never have a Vita (what can i say?) I think the 3ds is best for me...As for gaming time and space I prefer Portables to home consoles to begin with ....maybe because I have no gaming partner at home. I enjoy playing online with my 3ds at least I can play with /against others in that way...My husband is not a video gamer at all. He thinks is pretty much a waste of time (hehe) to bad for him....hehehe!